Memories of Us
by finnicko-loves-anniec
Summary: A collection of Odesta oneshots chronicling Finnick and Annie's lives together.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This will be a collection of the Odesta oneshots I publish on Tumblr. The ratings will vary from K to M, but I will make sure to put a note at the top of any M-rated chapters with trigger warnings. Enjoy!

**Prompt: Finnick meets Annie a day before her reaping.**

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This girl must not be from around here. She couldn't be, or Finnick would have noticed her before. She was… enchanting, he supposed that was the right word, with her beautiful, sea-green eyes and her long, dark hair.

"It's okay if you don't know where the market is. I can ask somebody else." Finnick realized she had asked him a question. His mouth suddenly felt dry, and for the first time in years, he had no idea what to say. _Get it together Odair, _he scolded himself. _She's just a girl. She's certainly an interesting one, but it's not as though you've never seen a girl before._

Luckily, his voice came back just as she gave up and began to walk away. "I know where the market is," his voice squeaked at the end of his sentence. She whirled back around to look at him. Finnick cleared his throat before continuing. "I could walk you there if you'd like." He offered his arm, and they walked to the market together.

"Are you eighteen?" asked the girl.

Finnick's eyebrows crinkled in confusion. Why would she ask that? Then, realization dawned on him. The Reaping was tomorrow. That must be why this girl was in town. "No, I'm nineteen," he said. "I assume you're still in?"

She nodded. They reached the market far more quickly than Finnick would have liked. "Thank you for bringing me here," the girl said. She put out her hand. "Annie Cresta, by the way."

"Finnick Odair." They shook hands. "Good luck tomorrow Annie."

"Thanks, you too. I mean, I hope nobody you know ummm, well, have a nice day." With a wave, Annie headed off to one of the vendors. Finnick walked back to his house in the Victors' Village alone. He couldn't help but be a little sad that Annie would probably only be in town for one day. After the Reaping tomorrow, she and all the other children that weren't picked would go home. But there was always next year, and the year after that. He smiled to himself. Maybe, just maybe, he would get to see Annie Cresta again.

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed the story! Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated. See you soon,

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	2. Chapter 2

**Prompt: A few months after Annie's victory, she finally catches a glimpse of the real Finnick Odair and all the trauma he's been suffering.**

Annie hummed a happy tune to herself as she unlocked Finnick's front door. Finnick had asked her to watch over his garden while he was in the Capitol, so every day for the last two weeks, she had come over to water his flowers. After so many weeks of being coddled following her Games, it was refreshing to be treated as an adult again, even if it was just watching over a few plants.

She had almost filled the watering can when she heard a noise from upstairs, a shrill animal shriek that shocked her into dropping the watering can. Annie frowned. She had closed the windows herself a few days before, but somehow an animal must have gotten in. Glancing around the kitchen, she found a broom, which she grabbed and brought with her upstairs. It certainly wasn't an ideal weapon, but she was sure it would be enough to fend off a raccoon or another small animal.

Annie stood on the top landing, waiting for another sound that would tell her which room to search. She heard a bang from Finnick's room. She tiptoed to the door, counting to three silently before opening it. Annie hadn't expected the animal to be nearly that big. She hit it as hard as she could with the broom and screamed.

"Ouch!" the figure yelped. Annie immediately dropped the broom.

"Finnick! I'm so sorry. Are you all right?" She was mortified to see an enormous purple bruise across the left side of his face. Surely she hadn't hit him that hard? "Come on, I'll get you some ice to put on that."

Finnick shook his head, not moving from his spot on the floor. "No, never mind. Those have been there for a while. I'll be fine." Despite his words, Annie could see that her friend was suffering. She sat down next to him.

"What happened? Did you get mugged?"

He paused for a moment too long before answering. "Yeah. They might have gotten one punch in, but you should see him now." He grinned at her. Annie smiled back, but she knew there was something Finnick wasn't telling her.

"If you don't want any ice, would you care for some lemonade?" She wanted to do anything she could to make him feel better.

"That sounds fantastic." Annie poured him a tall glass of lemonade and set it in front of him. Finnick nursed his cup for several long minutes, during which neither of them spoke. Annie stayed with him for the next few hours, but as darkness began to fall, she excused herself. Her mother might call the Capitol doctors again if she was out too long.

On her way home, she thought about Finnick and his bruise. Annie knew something more had happened than Finnick was willing to tell her, but she would not press him for more information. When he was ready, he would reach out. They were all broken, after all. Some of them just hid it better.

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A/N: Thanks for reading - I hope you liked it! Extra thanks to Odestalovebaby for reviewing! Reviews, as always, are much appreciated. Until next time,

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	3. Chapter 3

**Prompt: Finnick tells Annie about his worst night in the Capitol.**

Trigger Warning: Descriptions of rape, self-hatred.

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"Annie?" Finnick's voice shook, but he needed to tell her this. If they wanted to have any chance of making their fledgling relationship work, he had to confess this to her. "Can we talk?"

She set down the dish she had been drying and looked up at him. "Of course," she said. "What's on your mind?"

Finnick could feel his heart rate increasing and his breath becoming shallower. Annie noticed the change in her friend and gently guided him over to their living room sofa. "Finnick, it's fine if you don't want to talk. The last thing I want is for you to make yourself sick."

He forced his breathing to slow down, waiting for a moment to make sure he felt better before speaking. "No, I need to tell you this. President Snow sells me." Annie's hand, which had been rubbing his back comfortingly, suddenly stopped. Finnick looked down at his lap, not wanting to see the disgust and horror she must feel towards him. He had been afraid that he would lose Annie when this secret came to light, but he had accepted the possibility. There was no reason for a wonderful, smart woman like Annie to waste her life on a man as unclean as him.

Finnick blinked back his tears. He didn't want Annie to leave him, but at least now she could be with someone who deserved her. Annie cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to look into her eyes. He was surprised to find a mixture of anger and love in her features, not the disgust he had feared. "Finnick, this isn't your fault. You have to know that." He broke eye contact with her. The truth was, he had chosen this life. He had suffered through weeks in the Arena and killed eight other children to earn this life. Had he not been so selfish, at least he could be dead. Things would be better that way.

"No, this is Snow's fault, not yours." Annie spoke more forcefully this time. "If he were here right now, I would find the heaviest stone I could lift and smash it into his skull until he was unrecognizable as punishment for ever hurting you. You're a good man, Finnick. Nobody deserves this, especially not you." She wrapped him up in a tight hug.

Finnick was amazed. Annie was not leaving him, and even better, she wanted to take on the president to defend him. He returned her embrace. "I hate them," he whispered.

"Who?"

"The clients. I hate all of them." Finnick tried to stop himself, but now that he had broken his years of silence about his abuse, he could not hold anything back. "Some are worse than others, of course. The ones who just want sex, they aren't so bad. The ones I really hate though, are the ones who want to talk about the Games, the ones who want to hurt me while they remind me how I've hurt others.

"There's this one man, I think he's the worst. He gives me this drug, I don't remember the name of it, but it elevates everything you feel. If you're happy, this little green pill will make you absolutely ecstatic. But if you are already scared, it makes everything around you, no matter how harmless, completely terrifying. He gives me these pills, then he puts on the highlights reel from my Games and has me watch it while he hurts me, cuts me with his knives or pours acid onto my skin, whatever matches the scene that's playing. He only fucks me when we reach the part where I kill that last tribute, but by that point I don't even care because I just want it to be over. By the end, I don't always know what's real and what I just imagined."

At some point, Annie had moved Finnick so that he was lying on the couch with his head in Annie's lap. He tugged his legs up against his chest. "I don't want to go back, Annie. I need for you to be safe, but I never want to go back there again."

She stroked his hair but stayed silent. Finnick nuzzled her thigh. What he did in the Capitol still hurt, but it felt good to confess what happened to someone else. They stayed there in that position for long hours, Annie running her fingers through his bronze hair and Finnick holding her other hand to his lips.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! I want to give Odestalovebaby a special shout out for reviewing. Reviews are much appreciated, as they are the best way to learn about flaws in my writing and things I can do better. Until next time,

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	4. Chapter 4

**Prompt: Finnick's final thoughts before he dies**

Finnick ran after Katniss and the others, trying desperately to catch up. He reached the ladder and began to climb. The lizard mutts had not caught up yet, but they were close. Katniss's boot came down hard on his left hand, and he lost his grip on the rung. One of the mutts dug his teeth deep into Finnick's ankle and dragged him down to the floor of the tunnel. He was able to beat it away from him with his trident, but suddenly there were several lizard mutts surrounding him. The wrestled him to the floor and snatched away his trident before one of them leaned in towards his throat.

He felt the cool spray of seafoam on his neck as he tilted his face up. When he opened his eyes, Finnick was no longer in the tunnel, but instead on his father's fishing boat. Gulls circled above, hungry for a piece of their catch. It had always been his job as a child to scare them away, and out of habit Finnick walked to the tub where they stored the fish. He waved his arms and yelled, making sure none of the birds came close enough to steal his father's catch. Finnick laughed at his own silliness and the memories being on this boat brought back. As the afternoon turned to evening, he grew tired. He sat next to the tub, and soon his eyes drifted shut.

He could smell Mags's seaweed bread tempting him out of his sleep. Finnick awoke to see a silver parachute falling towards him, and when he opened the canister, he found his mentor's freshly baked bread. "Thank you, Mags," he said aloud before stuffing the first bite into his mouth. The bread was warm, with a crunchy crust, and the salty taste of seaweed stayed on his tongue even after he swallowed.

"Planning on sharing, boy?" He heard Mags's voice from behind him. Finnick stood and turned, his face flushing pink with embarrassment. He did not know what to say to this woman, how to thank her for everything she had given him. He opened his mouth to speak, but Mags covered his lips with the palm of her hand. "We don't need words now. Enjoy your bread." She laughed at the look of confusion on his face. Finnick took another bite of bread.

When he looked up again, Mags was gone. His surroundings were unfamiliar with the exception of a tall, rocky horn. The Cornucopia. Finnick stepped cautiously towards the Cornucopia, watching carefully for any mutts or other tributes. He began to climb to the top, where he could just begin to make out a familiar form. He reached the peak to find Beetee's trident waiting for him. Finnick picked it up, the weight of the weapon oddly calming.

He surveyed the Arena, pleasantly surprised to find an ocean far in the distance. Finnick brought the trident with him as he made the trek, but dropped it promptly as he reached his destination. A woman in a green dress sat on the beach, looking out over the ocean. "Annie!" he shouted, running towards his wife. She smiled at him and met him with a warm embrace. Neither of them spoke for long moments as they watched the waves crashing into the rocks. Annie leaned up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to Finnick's lips.

The waves called to him invitingly. "Join me for a swim?" he asked Annie. She shook her head sadly, but motioned for him to go on without her. Finnick walked into the water, enjoying its coolness against his skin. When he was in deep enough, he began to swim. Finnick looked back at Annie on shore, but he continued to swim. Even when he lost sight of her, he continued out further and further into the blue-green waves, content.

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A/N: I'm so sorry, I had to do it. If anyone's interested, the relevant quote from _Mockingjay_ is "It's as if I'm Finnick, watching images of my life flash by. The mast of a boat, a silver parachute, Mags laughing, a pink sky, Beetee's trident, Annie in her wedding dress, waves breaking over rocks. Then its over."

Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it / don't hate me after reading this! I would really appreciate it if you could leave a review - I'm really excited to know what people think of this chapter in particular. Again, thank you so much for reading!

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	5. Chapter 5

**Prompt: Finnick's first client … his first time being sold.**

**Trigger Warning: Descriptions of the rape of a minor**

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Finnick clung tightly to Mags. Since his appointment earlier that day with the president, he hadn't wanted to leave his mentor's side. Now that it was time for him to go and meet with his first client, he couldn't bring himself to let go. "Mags, I don't want to go, please don't make me."

Mags looked over the fourteen-year-old with tears in her eyes. She wished she could help him, but there was nothing she could do. "I wish I could, dear, but this is up to you."

"I'm pretty sure Snow's already made that choice," Finnick replied.

She shook her head. "No, you have to make this decision. Do you want to go with your client, or do you want to risk Snow hurting the people you love?"

He knew it was the same choice he had been presented with in Snow's office, but somehow, the way Mags phrased it made him feel more in control. Finnick took a deep breath. "I want to keep my family safe," he said. If he could survive the Arena, he could live through this.

Mags stroked his hair. "I'll wait up for you. I wish this didn't have to happen, Finnick." She gave him one last kiss on the cheek.

Finnick stepped away from his mentor and straightened his shoulders. "See you later."

Mags watched as he left, then collapsed onto the couch and cried. She had seen this happen to far too many of her victors, watched as the strong young men and women she mentored were reduced to commodities. The emotional trauma these victors suffered should not be forced on anyone.

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The elevator made a pleasant ringing sound as it reached the penthouse level. Finnick stepped off of the elevator to find a pink woman waiting for him. He supposed that she was technically a woman with skin and hair that were dyed pink, but right now that didn't matter. "Oooh, Finnick!" she squealed, running to squish him in a tight hug. "I've been waiting forever to see you again! How have you been?"

Wait, he'd met this woman before? Suddenly, he began to doubt his ability to do this. The seeming anonymity of it all had been so comforting. Finnick couldn't imagine running into the people who had hurt him again in public. He could feel his heart start to beat faster, but he forced himself to answer. "I've been fine, but I think my life just got better," he said in the most seductive voice he could muster. The woman giggled and practically dragged him into her bedroom.

She sat down on the massive bed, which was covered in the same garish shade of pink as her hair and skin. The woman waited for a moment. "Well, come on, what are you waiting for?" she said impatiently. Finnick had no idea what she wanted him to do. "Take your clothes off and get over here!"

He hurried over to her, stripping as he moved. Snow had made it very clear that he must keep his clients happy. Finnick sat down next to the pink woman, feeling more exposed than ever before. She traced a path down his chest to his hips, and Finnick resisted the urge to flinch as her claw-like nails drifted across his penis. "What a beautiful boy," she said, smiling at him. Finnick weakly smiled back. "Unzip?" the woman gestured to the back of her shiny pink dress. He pulled down the zipper, and the woman stepped out of the garment.

For the first time in his life, Finnick was confronted with a nude woman. He could feel his cheeks burning and he wanted to avert his eyes, but instead he closed the distance between them and kissed her. The woman sighed in pleasure and guided him backwards towards the bed. She pushed him down onto his back and straddled his waist. Finnick started to panic as her hand moved to his hip. He pulled her down for another kiss to mask his nervousness. The woman brought his hands to her breasts, and he kneaded them, earning a gasp from her when he pinched the nipple.

She broke the kiss and hoisted herself up, her smile cat-like as she lowered herself onto his erection. Finnick's eyes clamped shut at the sensation. It didn't feel bad, but the thought of the woman above him made Finnick want to vomit. He focused on calming his stomach as she moved against him, only opening his eyes again when they were both finished. Finnick hated his body for enjoying this woman's attentions when his mind knew that what had just happened was wrong. He gathered her up in his arms and allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder for a few minutes while he watched the clock, willing his appointment to be over.

The instant the clock read two a.m., he moved out from underneath her. Finnick quickly gathered his clothes and dressed before staggering out of her apartment. He smiled weakly at the Avox elevator operator as he asked for the ground floor. He made it all the way to the lobby before he vomited.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you'll take a minute to leave a review – I'd love to know what you all think of my writing! Until next time,

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	6. Chapter 6

**Prompt: **None, I just wanted to write some fluff after the last two chapters.

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"Finnick, if you can't get this knot out of my hair – Ouch!"

"Sorry," Finnick said, desperately trying to unknot his girlfriend's hair. "Don't worry, Annie, I'll get it. Could you sit still so I can get it out?"

Annie wriggled a little bit in her spot. "Finnick, I've been sitting here for half an hour while you tried to get this knot out. I'll give you five more minutes, but then I'm getting out the scissors." She stilled, and Finnick went back to work on the knot.

It had all started so innocently. They were sitting together on their porch, looking out at the ocean like they did most nights. Finnick had only come back from the Capitol a few days before, and with the memories of his time there still fresh in his mind, he needed his rope for comfort. Annie hadn't wanted him to go back inside for it, so she'd allowed him to knot her hair instead. It had been fine for a while, but then Finnick had tried a new knot of his own invention. He'd been trying to untie it for the last forty minutes.

"Five, four, three, two, one." Annie stood up, causing Finnick to accidentally pull her dark hair.

"No, Annie, please don't cut it off! Just give me five more minutes, and I'm sure I'll be able to get it back to normal." He pushed out his lower lip and widened his eyes. He'd never met a woman who could say no to his puppy dog look.

Luckily for him, Annie was no exception. "All right, Finn, one more try." She sat back down next to him. "Just remember, it's you who likes the long hair. I don't care if it all goes."

"I'll keep that in mind." Finnick closed his eyes and just felt the strands, focusing on how they fit together to form a knot. He smiled as he found the loose spot he'd been looking for. Once he loosened that area, the rest of the knot was easily untied. "There you have it," he said.

"Finally!" Annie turned to give Finnick a hug.

"You know, a thank you wouldn't be out of place here," said Finnick as he wrapped his arms around her.

Annie smirked at him. "It was your fault in the first place, Odair." She lessened the sting of her words by pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. "Is that enough thanks for you?"

"Not quite. I think another might be in order." His eyes fluttered shut as Annie thanked him again and again.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! Sorry that this is the shortest chapter ever – I just needed to write something fluffy after the last couple prompts. With regards to prompts, I am completely out. Please leave an idea in the reviews, or PM me here or on Tumblr (same username) if there's anything specific you'd like to see! Thanks to HybridsRose for reviewing! I do hope you'll leave a review – feedback is much appreciated. See you soon,

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	7. Chapter 7

"Do you think this is the right consistency?" Annie lifted a spoonful of the cake batter and watched as it dribbled back into the mixing bowl. She frowned, trying to think of the times she had watched as the baker made his batter, but she couldn't picture the mixture.

Finnick leaned over to examine their attempt at baking as well. "I really have no idea," he admitted. "Maybe we should just bake it and see if it works? I mean, we still have time to try again if this doesn't work out."

"Sounds like a plan." Annie looked down the list of ingredients one last time, checking that they hadn't missed anything. As far as she could tell, they hadn't. She and Finnick had been religious about following recipes after a few well-done shrimp had turned their kitchen into a smoky mess the year before. She poured the batter into the pan, and Finnick put the pan into the hot oven while Annie set the timer.

"Thirty nine minutes is a long time to wait," Finnick complained.

Annie rolled her eyes. "You don't have to just sit here and watch the timer, you know. You could get up and do something useful, like taking your dirty laundry out of the bathroom."

"You're no fun. Why do I like you again?"

"You love me. I'm not so sure about the liking bit." Annie smiled at him. "But really, get your clothes out of the bathroom. It's starting to stink in there." Finnick lumbered off to do as she asked, but not without a few pouting faces. Annie started to clean up the mess they had made while mixing. Soon, Finnick came and helped her.

Just as they finished the last of the dishes, the timer went off. Finnick grabbed their pair of blue oven mitts and took out the cake. Annie was excited to see that it was the golden-brown color the recipe had described. "Let's get it out of the pan," she suggested.

"Shouldn't we let it sit for a while first?" asked Finnick. Annie glanced over the instructions again, but she found nothing about letting the cake cool.

"No, I think this should be fine," she said. Together, they eased the cake out of the pan and watched it droop into a puddle on their serving plate. "Well, we all the ingredients we need for another attempt."

Finnick nodded and went to fetch the eggs and milk out of the fridge.

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Another failed attempt later, Annie was ready to admit defeat. "Want to just get a cake at the bakery?" she asked. "I'm sure Mags will understand."

"Yeah, that sounds good. Think she'll believe us if we say we made it ourselves?"

Annie snorted. "Don't lie to Mags, Finnick especially not on her birthday. And no, I don't think she'd fall for that one. She might be too polite to actually say anything, but she'd definitely know that you were lying."

"I don't know, I'm a pretty good liar," said Finnick, a mischievous grin on his face.

"No, you aren't."

"Am to."

Annie allowed the conversation to end there. She knew Finnick's ears flushed whenever he told a lie, but he didn't need to know that.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you've enjoyed these little oneshots so far! Thanks to turtledoves, Odestalovebaby, and indelibilities for their kind reviews. As always, reviews are much appreciated. Catch you later,

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	8. Chapter 8

Finnick rearranged the worn fabric on his right shoe, trying to hide the large hole that had probably formed with his oldest brother and been made worse by three other Odair boys before the gray shoes had found their way to him. Eventually, he gave up and slipped his shoes into his backpack. The first day of school was going to be bad enough anyway; he didn't need to be made fun of for his hand me down shoes.

Last year, at least Hannigan had been in the same school. Now, though, the second-youngest Odair child was twelve and would have to go to the school for Reaping age children. Finnick didn't want to be old enough for the Reaping, but he did wish that Hannigan still went to his school.

He couldn't put off the inevitable any longer. Finnick took a deep breath, straightened his shoulders, and strode confidently onto the schoolyard. After a few steps, he gave up on trying to be cool and hurried to the door. The teachers hadn't unlocked the doors yet, but a group of enthusiastic students had gathered in front of them. He was jealous and a little bit wary of anyone who actually wanted to come to school.

Suddenly, Finnick fell forwards onto the cement. He could feel his skin drag against the rough ground, and when he examined his hand, he found a long, dirty scrape. "You need to say sorry," said a high voice that obviously belonged to another child.

"Why, pipsqueak? Are you gonna make me?" Finnick turned in time to see a little girl with her dark hair in neat ponytails punch a much bigger boy on the nose. He jumped up to stop the bully before he could strike the girl, wrestling him down to the ground.

"Say you're sorry," the girl repeated.

The boy just lay there and glared at her. Finnick pressed down harder so that he couldn't get up. Annie repeated herself. Finally, the boy gave in. "Sorry," he said in barely more than a whisper.

"Apology accepted," Finnick said. He helped the other boy up.

"See, I could make you," the girl said, spinning on her heel away from them. The school bell rang, and Finnick hurried his way to his second grade classroom.

The day went better than he had expected. His teacher seemed nice, and two of the boys whose fathers worked with Dad were in his class. Except for the scrape and his shoes, everything was all right.

All that ended just as class was dismissed. "Finnick, you're expected in the principal's office," said Ms. Jameson. Finnick felt as though someone had kicked him in the stomach. One of the other students must have tattled to the teachers about what had happened that morning. His mom would be so angry when she found out Finnick hadn't even made it through the first day without getting in trouble.

When he opened the door to the office, he became even more concerned. The little girl from earlier was already seated, her big green eyes wide with fear. The principal sat at her desk, and next to her was the biggest man Finnick had ever seen. He wasn't sure if it was the stranger's overly straight, almost military posture, or the bulging muscles in his arms, but something about this man suggested that he knew how to hurt people. _Please don't be a Peacekeeper_, thought Finnick. This man wasn't wearing the usual white uniform, but even Peacekeepers had to take off their armor sometime, right? Maybe he was here to punish them for fighting. Hitting people was against the law for adults, and Finnick had attended the public executions for criminals before. Was seven too little to be shot?

"Please, Finnick, take a seat." He followed the principal's instructions, hoping that if he showed the man how well he could behave, he wouldn't get in too much trouble. For good measure, Finnick smiled at them, showing off the gap where his front teeth hadn't yet come in. "Your little fistfight this morning has come to my attention."

Finnick fought the urge to lie, to tell the principal that he didn't know anything about a fight. "Ian hit Finnick first," the girl interjected. "I just wanted him to say sorry, but I had to hit him before he would."

"Annie, we aren't looking for excuses," explained the principal. "Now, I certainly don't want to encourage this kind of misbehavior, but Mr. Martin here is interested in offering the two of you a wonderful opportunity because of how you handled Ian."

The man smiled and leaned down so that he was closer to the two children's eye level. "How would you like to be very rich when you grow up?" he asked.

"How?" was the only response Finnick could think of. He would love to be rich and eat as much bread as he wanted and never have to wear shoes with holes again.

Annie nodded. "Yeah, I want to be rich!"

"Did you know that I can help you train so that someday, when you're eighteen, you can win the Hunger Games and come live in the Victors' Village?"

"Mommy says I shouldn't want to be in the Games," Finnick said. Lucy Odair always worried the weeks before the Reaping, hoping and praying that the boy picked would not be one of her sons.

The man laughed. "She's right. Nobody should want to go into the Arena untrained. But that's what I'm offering you. You would learn from all the people in Four who have won, work hard to become the best tribute possible, and you will win." Mr. Martin's enthusiasm was infectious. Finnick soon found himself nodding along, agreeing to train so that someday he could win and make his family rich. "How does that sound?"

"Great!" Annie was practically bouncing up and down in her seat. Finnick smiled and nodded. He wasn't quite sure what to say.

"Fantastic. Now, I want you two to walk home and ask your parents about becoming Careers. Tell them that we won't ask for any payment of any kind to train you, and let them know that they can always come by and talk to me if they have any questions." The man handed Finnick and Annie little cards of paper with writing on them. Finnick could read the capital_ M_ and _C_, and he knew the little _i_ and _n_ because you need those letters to spell Finnick, but he didn't remember any of the other letters. He would need to ask Mom or Hannigan to read it to him.

"Thank you Mr. Martin!" he said. Annie echoed him, and they walked outside together. "Are you excited to be in the Hunger Games?" he asked the girl.

"Yeah, it sounds cool!" she said. "Do you think they'll let us eat fish and bread for dinner in the Victors' Village?"

"I hope so! That sounds yummy. Maybe they'll even let us have sugar like on the sweet rolls too!" Finnick answered. Annie laughed, and she reached out to take his hand. They walked home together hand in hand. Finnick couldn't wait to tell Mommy about Mr. Martin and training.

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A/N: Hello again! Sorry it took so long to update – thanks for being patient! I don't think this has come up before, but _Memories of Us _will not have any type of consistent timeline. There could potentially be even more meeting scenes or other oneshots that conflict with each other. Extra thanks to Odestalovebaby for reviewing. I love feedback and want to improve my writing, so I really appreciate reviews. I'm all out of prompts, so if there's something you would like to see, please PM me or leave an idea in the reviews. Thanks again for reading!

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	9. Chapter 9

"I love you," Finnick murmured as he nuzzled into her neck. He kissed up and down the column of her throat, trying to memorize every inch of her sun-bronzed skin.

Annie went rigid, and she pushed him away. "What did you say?" Her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"I love you," Finnick replied honestly. He tried to embrace Annie again, but she stopped him and stood up from the couch they had been sharing.

"No, you don't." Her words made his blood freeze in his veins. "You say that to everyone."

He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He wanted to tell her how _wrong _she was, that he'd never said those words to anyone before and would never cheapen his love like that, but he couldn't find the words to tell her how much she meant to him.

Annie waited for a response, and when she got none, she sighed. "Finnick, I'm fine with … whatever it is we have," she started, slowly moving back towards the couch. "We're adults – I can handle being just a friend you have sex with every once in a while. That's fine. But I'm not okay with being lied to. If you aren't in love with me, I don't want you to say you are. Those Capitol people might want to hear it, but we need to be honest with each other."

"Annie, it's not what you think –"

"I'm not in the mood anymore." She left the room to grab her shoes.

Seeing Annie walk away finally prompted Finnick into action. He leapt from the loveseat and sprinted to the front door, jumping in front of it so Annie couldn't get out. "No, don't leave! I can explain!"

Annie shook her head and slipped on her shoes, avoiding his gaze. "I don't want to hear it right now, Odair. Let's just let it be, okay?" She finished fastening the straps on her brown sandals and grabbed for the door handle, but Finnick rested his weight against the door to stop it from opening.

"I've never said that to anybody before." He should have said more, but those were the only words that came to mind.

Annie moved her hand away from the doorknob. "Say that again," she demanded.

Finnick looked directly into her eyes and repeated himself. "I've never said that to anybody before, Annie. You're special to me."

A smile spread across Annie's features. She leaned up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek.

"You mean so much to me, Annie," he said, folding his arms around her to bring her closer to him. "I love you."

She pressed her cheek to his chest, smiling even though she knew he couldn't see her face. Annie had daydreamed of this moment since primary school, and now those dreams were coming true. Her happiness was quickly joined by curiosity. "Why did you pick me? It's not as though you're starved for options."

"Because you're worth more than all of those Capitol women – and men – combined. Your laugh, your kindness, your strength … Annie, you're the most brilliant, wonderful person I could ever hope to meet, much less fall in love with. Those other people mean less than nothing to me. You're special." Their lips met in a warm, tender kiss.

A tear ran down Annie's face. "I like you too, Odair. I think I'll keep you." Finnick pinched her. He was gentle, but she still squeaked. "Okay, I love you, too."

"That's more like it."

"I believe we were in the middle of something?" Annie asked in her most innocent voice.

Finnick grinned, his green eyes lighting up with mischief. "How could I have forgotten about that?" He swept her off her feet and carried her bridal-style up the stairs and into his bedroom.

Much later that night, when he again whispered that he loved her, Annie did not argue. Instead, she returned his words and kissed him goodnight.

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**A/N:** Hello – it's been a while! Thank you so much for reading – I really hope you enjoyed the chapter! It was based on the prompt _precious_ from Caesar's Palace. Thank you to turtledoves for reviewing. I really appreciate any feedback I receive on my stories. Thanks again for reading!

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	10. Chapter 10

_"The detective fiddled with his pipe as he thought. On the surface, it appeared that each of them was guilty. The elderly Mr. Parshings had made a great deal of enemies and had no shortage of people who wished him dead. In this case, it must be the method, not the motive, that determined who had committed the heinous act._

_ "Young Mr. Parshings, the millionaire's grandson, claimed not to have been in the mansion at the time of the murder, but Cablot thought this unlikely. The maid said she had seen a light in the man's bedroom that evening, and though she had no love for her master, he did not see a motive for her to lie about such a detail. Perhaps Parshing's grandson was innocent and just a victim of coincidence. It seemed too obvious that he should be the murderer, with his grandfather's will read only a week prior. Were someone else to frame the young Mr. Parshings, this would be the ideal time._

_ "Cablot shook his head. Something about this case did not add –"_

"What are you reading?" Annie interrupted.

Finnick showed her the cover of the book, but their daughter had a more detailed explanation. "It's about a detective who's trying to solve a murder! He's talked to everybody who was there, the sussects – "

"Suspects," corrected Ronan, who was sitting on the other side of Finnick.

Maggie stuck out her tongue at her older brother. "But nobody wants to admit they killed the old man. I think it was his grandson because he wanted to steal all his money."

Annie's eyebrows rose, and she turned towards Finnick. "And is this an appropriate book for six and seven year olds?"

"Err, yes? Is that the correct answer?" Finnick gave her his most charming smile. It was usually enough to get him out of trouble, and tonight was no exception.

She rolled her eyes and smiled. "Can I sit with you guys? The story sounds interesting." Maggie scooched onto Finnick's lap so that her mother could fit onto the couch with them. Annie tucked herself into the spot and cuddled against this portion of her family.

"Did you manage to get Dylan to fall asleep?" Finnick asked.

Annie nodded. "Yes, finally." She looked at Ronan. "You, young man, need to be quieter tonight when you go to bed. No waking your brother up."

The boy nodded. "Okay," he agreed. Ronan took his responsibility to be a good big brother very seriously.

"Thank you. I just don't want another fit like last night," Annie said. She leaned over Finnick and Maggie to plant a kiss on her older son's forehead before resting her head on Finnick's shoulder.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but that's my page-flipping arm," he said.

Annie batted her eyes up at him. "I'm sure you'll be able to work around it."

Finnick sighed. "I never win with you, do I?"

His wife laughed, but the children were impatient to start reading again. "C'mon, I want to know what happened!" Maggie whined.

Finnick looked back down at the page. "Okay, where were we?" he skimmed through a few paragraphs before he found a section that seemed unfamiliar. "Ah, found it!"

"_Cablot shook his head. Something about this case did not add up. Surely, the killer must have made some mistake, but Cablot could not find that clue among the web of lies that had been spun around Mr. Parshing's death. He sighed and put out his pipe. He needed more information if he was going to crack this case. Perhaps it was time for another chat with the gardener._

_ "He found the man weeding the extensive rose garden. 'Good day, sir,' Cablot said. "Might I have a word with you?'_

_ "The gardener jumped at the sound of his voice. He clutched his hand to his heart when he saw that it was merely Cablot. 'You gave me a fright, you did,' he said, shakily rising to his feet. 'I've been jumping at shadows all day. This murder has us all on edge, I suppose.'_

_ "'Indeed,' agreed Cablot. 'Tell me, do you have a minute to discuss your master's unfortunate end? I do believe that I am close to finding the murderer.'_

_ "'Any way I can help, sir. I'd be more than happy to.' The two men moved to the garden furniture to continue their discussion. McAbbot, the gardener, described Mr. Parshing as a stern but fair master, unwilling to suffer fools, but appreciative of good work. The other servants had seen Mr. Parshing as overly harsh and demanding, but Cablot did not reveal that to the gardener. Also, he had learned from the head maid that Parshing and McAbbot had argued hardly two weeks before on the matter of McAbbot's wages. Interesting that the gardener chose not to bring up that row."_

"Oh dear, it's well past bedtime," Annie said. "Come along, you two, let's get teeth brushed and pajamas on."

Her suggestion was met with resistance. "Mom, I want to finish the story! I need to know who did it," complained Ronan. Maggie probably would have asked to finish the book as well, but she was already asleep.

"No arguments. We'll read some more tomorrow." Finnick scooped Maggie up and carried her to her bedroom. "Goodnight, sweetheart," he whispered, kissing her cheek.

He met Annie back downstairs. "Fancy seeing you here." He leaned down to kiss her.

Annie lifted herself onto her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I think they're liking the book," she said once they separated.

"I'm enjoying it too. I'm excited to see who actually killed him."

"I know what we could do this evening." Annie's voice was low and seductive. She pressed her body flush against his and began to kiss his neck.

Finnick smiled. "I like the way you think." He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Good, so you do want to finish the book." She laughed at his disappointed expression.

"You're a cruel woman, Annie Odair, but I can't complain. I really do want to find out what happened." Finnick went to grab the book, and they settled onto the couch together, Annie on his lap as they read silently.

"So it was the grandson," Finnick said once they were finished.

"Maggie will be pleased. We'll have to act like we didn't finish it without them. Can you show me your best surprised face?" Finnick opened his mouth and eyes as wide as he could and pressed his hands to his cheeks. She laughed. "That might be a bit much, but it's cute."

Finnick smiled at her. "I'm always cute."

"And modest." Annie pulled him down for a kiss. "So, about your other idea for this evening …"

"I think we can work that into the schedule," Finnick said. He pulled her into his arms and carried her, bridal style, to their bedroom. Annie tried to stay quiet, as to not wake up Dylan, but she couldn't help it that a few giggles escaped.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for reading! Sorry it's been so long – since there isn't really a story line to this fic, I tend to write only when I get a flash of inspiration. However, I think there'll be another update tomorrow, so maybe that partially makes up for my neglect. Thank you so much to the guest reviewer and FinnieOdesta4ever for reviewing. I really appreciate the feedback. This fic was written using the Caesar's Place prompt family. Thanks again!

~finnicko-loves-anniec


	11. Chapter 11

Annie rests her cheek against the cool glass of the window pane, watching the still world of the Victor's Village. To the outsiders, it is perfect, with its pristinely maintained pastel mansions and gorgeous white sand beach. The world they see would fit perfectly in the snow globes the Capitol tourists buy to take homes. Beautiful.

Only the victors themselves know what lies beneath the mask the Capitol has painted onto their lives. The Victors Village is a snow globe for them as well, one that Snow shakes whenever he wants to see them dance. Nobody ever truly escapes. They are strangers to the rest of their district, and the Capitol offers no relief. They remain trapped in their perfect world. Annie never thought that living in paradise would be so miserable.

She sighs, and Finnick tightens his hold on her waist. He murmurs something comforting into her dark hair. Annie can't hear his exact words, but she understands their meaning.

"I used to be so free," she says to nobody in particular.

She feels Finnick nod in response. "I thought winning would give me the ultimate independence. No school, no job, plenty of money to do as I pleased with. Instead, I got this." He gestures towards the window.

Though she stays silent, Annie agrees. The Victors Village is too stifling for anyone to feel free. The homes may be spacious, but any room that holds a victor's guilt will feel claustrophobic. Annie supposes it's only right that the Capitol awards them mansions; the spirits of twenty-three children would never have fit in her childhood home.

She finally drags herself from the window and curls up in his arms. The cold of the glass is replaced by the warmth of his chest as she lays her head on his chest. He's strong, and he's steady, and he anchors her world when it feels like it might blow away. The love she feels for him allows her to push away her demons, if only for a short while. They still come crawling back when he's gone, but even when they are apart, she has him to hold onto. Annie's not sure what she'd do without that.

He'll have to leave her soon, go back to the Capitol to fuck them and help them kill even more children. When he leaves, she knows that his warmth will disappear with him, and she'll be left alone in the nightmare everyone else calls life. Annie pushes those thoughts away and snuggles even closer to Finnick. She won't allow them to spoil this moment. For now, she has him, and that's all she needs.

A/N: Thanks for reading! This chapter was written for the Shipping Week challenge on Caesar's Palace and using the prompt _asylum_.


	12. Chapter 12

The stars shine down upon the water, illuminating the waves as they crash to the shore. Annie gazes up at them, lost for a long moment in their beauty. She longed as a child to be in this exact spot, but now she'd give anything to be far away.

She is here because she's mad. He came because Mags doesn't trust her to be alone. Her former mentor believes she'll jump off the dock and not come up for air. Maybe she's right. Even with Finnick here, the possibility is tempting.

But there will be none of that tonight. The water this evening is too crisp and clean to sully with a corpse. Instead, Annie swings her legs off the dock and tries to spot dolphins in the distance. Finnick sits beside her, rigid and unmoving. He's tall enough that his feet dip into the water, but only the occasional wave splashes Annie's feet and ankles. She giggles every time the salty spray tickles her skin, and at first, he looks over, concerned, with each laugh. Eventually, though, Finnick realizes that nothing is any more wrong than usual and turns back to the sea.

"Are you ready for the Tour?" Those are the first words he's spoken to her all evening, and they startle her.

She grasps for a response, but all she can find are the monsters in her mind, clawing to get out. Annie hears Seannan's final scream cut off in mid-howl again and watches as blood pours from where his head should be. Her breathing quickens, and she covers her ears and eyes, trapping those thoughts inside so they cannot poison anyone else.

"Annie? Annie, are you there?" She can hear Finnick's voice, feel him shaking her, but she can't respond. She would have to open her mouth, and that would let the creatures out so they can hurt someone else. "Annie!" Strong hands lift her from the dock and cradle her body as though it is as fragile as her mind. She thrashes against those arms as they carry her away, and she hears an _oof _as a bony elbow hits tender flesh. Annie opens her eyes at the sound, not caring now about what might escape, and she finds herself looking into a pair of gentle green eyes. "You all right?" asks Finnick.

She flushes and buries her face in her hands again. She's hurt him, and yet he's the one who's worried about her. Annie begins to tremble. Finnick presses her closer to his chest and carries her towards Mags's house while she fists his shirt in her hands, desperate not to be alone.

This isn't what victory is supposed to be. Annie knew winning the Hunger Games would bring fame and riches, and she'd thought that she would finally be the strong, confident woman she'd always dreamt of. Instead, she's cradled like an infant in the arms of a man she barely knows, crying because she's tired of being so damn useless. Annie wonders if she should have jumped off the dock while Finnick wasn't looking. Maybe things would be better if she was gone. They couldn't be worse.

Still, the stars shine down, blind to her suffering.

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**A/N:** Written using the prompt _starlight _from Caesar's Palace. Thanks to swiftingfandoms and Estoma for reviewing.


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